ST SEBASTIAN’S

ATHLETICS
FALL SPORTS
Thayer’s offense, and the Arrows’ offense
came up with several key conversions
to keep possessions alive and chew up
minutes of the clock. Most notably, the
Arrows were pinned back on their own
two yard line with just under six minutes
left to play. A momentum swinging pass
play to receiver Brandon Sweeney ’14 for
37 yards gave the Arrows breathing room,
and on the ensuing series of downs, Patrick
Healy ran around the right side on third
and seven for another crucial first down
that allowed the Arrows to take a knee to
finish the game and the perfect 8-0 regular
season. For the fourth time in the season,
the exuberant fan section stormed the field
to share in the excitement.
Wrapping up the ISL title was the
foremost goal from the start of the season,
and having achieved that goal, Coach Souza
was choked up as he spoke to the team
after the Thayer game telling them how
proud he was of all of them, particularly
the senior class who refused to quit or let
their teammates quit at any point over
the past three years. Souza said, “This is a
special group,” and their combined effort
and focus were the keys to the undefeated
regular season. This “special group”
still had unfinished business, though,
as they earned a berth into a NEPSAC
championship game with a chance to bring
home the School’s first ever New England
Championship in football. A day after the
Thayer game, the Arrows found out that
the NEPSAC committee had pitted them
against the King School from Stamford,
Connecticut in the Arthur Valicenti Bowl
to be played at Avon Old Farms School in
Avon, Connecticut.
After a short week of preparation to
face a team they knew little about, the
Arrows boarded the buses early Saturday
morning for the two hour ride to Avon.
On a crisp November morning the 2012
Arrows took the field for the last time
together with a chance to make history in
front of hundreds of loyal fans who made
the trek with them. Low on nerves and
high on confidence, focus, and excitement,
the Arrows came out flying at the start of
the game. After taking the opening kickoff
to their own 30 yard line, the Arrows led
off with their bruising run game. On the
second play of the game, Conor Hilton
took a handoff up the middle and found
open field for a 46 yard gain. Two plays
later Hilton found space again, this time
on his way to a four yard touchdown run.
It was then time for the Arrows defense
to see how they would fare against the
King School’s strong run game. On their
second play King’s quarterback fumbled
the snap and St. Sebastian’s defensive end
Dan Fulham ’14 pounced on the loose
ball giving the Arrows possession deep
in King territory. Patrick Healy finished
this drive shortly thereafter with an 11
yard touchdown run, giving the Arrows
an early 13-0 lead. King responded well
though, scoring on a one yard run late in
the second quarter to bring the score to
13-7. The Arrows did not want to let their
opponent back into the game, so their two
minute offense tried to get more points
on the board before halftime. Conor
Hilton and Patrick Healy went to work
on the ground, and with 12 seconds left in
the half, Conor Hilton scored from three
yards out. Healy then ran in a two point
conversion to send the Arrows into the
intermission with a 21-7 lead. At halftime
the talk was about not letting up until the
Arrows were NEPSAC champions, and
the team responded as they had all year by
dominating the second half. The Arrows
defense stonewalled every attempt by
the King School to get a drive going, and
Patrick Healy scored another touchdown
for the Arrows on an eight yard run. When
the ensuing kickoff landed in a vacant spot
between King returners, linebacker Billy
Behman ’13 scooped up the ball and gave
the Arrows another possession and another
quick opportunity to put the game out
of reach. Receiver Brandon Sweeney ’14
helped to do just that when, after returning
to the game after breaking his finger earlier,
he fought for position against his defender
and caught a 17 yard touchdown pass from
Healy. With the score 33-7 at the end of
the third quarter, the Arrows felt confident
that victory was at hand, and when Patrick
Healy ran for his third touchdown of
the game, the Arrows took a 40-7 lead
late into the fourth quarter. King’s last
attempt to score was fittingly taken away by
another big play by a St. Sebastian’s senior.
Linebacker Henry Kennedy ’13 dropped
into coverage and intercepted the ball to
finish the game. The fifth fan field storming
of the season followed shortly thereafter as
the Arrows celebrated their program’s first
ever NEPSAC championship. While most
football seasons end in tear filled hugs and
goodbyes, the Arrows had no tears that
day, only beaming smiles and full hearts
from accomplishing every goal they set for
themselves that year.
After 35 years at the helm of the storied
St. Sebastian’s football program, Coach
Souza led the 2012 team to a perfect 9-0
season, the best record in the program’s
history and the best record possible for
future Arrows teams. Throughout the
season Coach Souza referenced the past
undefeated Arrows teams to help the 2012
Arrows understand what it would take
to reach that mark, and he also shared
correspondences he received from several
alumni including those from the 1977 and
1994 teams wishing the 2012 Arrows luck.
Souza predecessors Tom Green and Ed
Sweeney also shared their support through
word and attendance at games, further
showing how important this season was
to the entire program past and present.
The Arrows felt the support and love of all
of the alumni, fans, trustees, faculty, and
families, and happily share the excitement
of their ISL and NEPSAC champions with
all who came before them and were with
them throughout the season. The 2012
Arrows will live on in the School’s record
books, and the seniors on that team will
always be remembered and appreciated
for their leadership, outstanding play, and
unity. The senior-led defense finished
with the fewest points allowed in the ISL,
limiting opponents to 12.1 points per
game, and the offensive powerhouses were
all from the class of 2012 as well. The
Arrows will miss the entire senior class
and congratulate Brian O’Malley who was
named one of the two MVP’s of the ISL and
Brendan Daly who rushed for 1,092 yards
in only four and a half quarters of playing
54 | ST. SEBASTIAN’S MAGAZINE Volume VIII, Issue I